Our daughter


    “Pleasee in” Letty says behind me, startling the crap out of me.


    I realize that I had just been staring at them like a fool. Too lost in my head to say anything to


    them


    I move aside and let them through. My mind still reeling from the fact that The Howell’s were in


    my house right now. Also that they were potentially my family.


    “How are you even out?” I ask turning to face Ethan the moment we were all seated.


    “Bail” is all he said, his eyes looking everywhere except in my direction.


    Yesterday Brian had asked me if I wanted to press charges against Ethan. He said that it would


    make our case stronger against him.


    I wasn’t able to give him an answer because I wasn’t sure. Yes, I get what he did to me was


    horrible and I don’t know if I can ever forgive him or forget. (3)


    Despite all that, Ethan has also taught me a lot about myself and life. I just didn’t know if I had it


    in me to press charges,


    Travis was pressing charges and so were the police department. To get in, Ethan had faked


    documents. As much I couldn’t press the charges myself, Brian said that they would still do it


    because they had opened a file on me when the murder attempts had began.


    “I’m sorry for what my son did to you, Ava” Nora says, her voice cutting through the tense and


    awkward atmosphere.


    I just stare at her. I didn’t know what to feel honestly. The fact that she still called her his son


    meant that she was okay with what he did. If she was, then I am not sure I want her in my life if


    that the case, and if it turns out that she is my mother,


    “You’re apologizing for his wrong doings and I’m going to take a guess that you’re the one that


    posted his bail. If what he said was the truth does that mean you’re okay with what he did to your


    biological daughter? A daughter who he told us you mourned over for years?” Letty poses the


    question that I was too afraid to ask. 4


    “We’re by no means okay with what he did. It was downright wrong and evil” Theo says through


    clenched teeth. His eyes cutting through Ethan.


    *TS BONUS


    Dagute he’s ander right now fean still tell that he loves him. Itle Witten all over his face bome with Nova


    Then why ball him out? He should pay for what he did to Ava I don’t eate what you thunk smere has


    done, but tarmg with their feelings while knowing that you n to kill them to just disgusting and evil


    Letty persists not letting the matter go


    Every time Fm reminded of what Ethan did just leaves me raw It was like pouring salt on a wound


    “Because he’s still our son and we love him. I may not have birthed him but he has been ours since he


    was ten when we adopted him Nora says with tears swimming in her eyes


    I wanted to hate her answer but I couldn’t. As a mother, I would stand by Noah no matter what. Sure I


    would be hurt and disappointed if he did something so terrible, but I wouldn’t abandon him I would be


    by his side till the very end


    I stare at the man in question only to find him staring back at me. Just like yesterday, there isn’t


    any emotion in his cold gaze. I can’t help but wonder if this is how he normally looks or is it the


    warm look he used to give me


    Shaking those thoughts away, I pull my gaze from him and stare at Nora and Theo.


    “The fact that you’re here means you want something from me, so how may I help you? If it’s


    about his case then I’m sorry to inform you that I have nothing to do with it and if that’s all then


    please leave I get straight to the point. There was no need beating around the bush.


    I see their shocked faces, but I ignore it. I was just being honest and beside I don’t see any other


    reason why they would be here.


    “We came because Ethan told us the truth. We came because you’re our daughter” Nora answers,


    tears filling her eyes.


    I wanted to believe her, but I couldn’t. The family that raised me didn’t love me and they’ve had


    twenty eight years with me. I didn’t expect Nora and Theo to love me either. They didn’t know me


    and from the looks of things they really loved Ethan.


    “How are you even sure I’m your daughter?” I ask standing up. “Ethan could have mixed things up


    I look nothing like any of you”


    They were out of this world beautiful and I was just me. Nothing remarkable about my looks.


    Ethan answers handing me an envelope. “I took your hair and did a DNA test. It matched one


    I open it and read its content. He wasn’t lying that much is true. My DNA matched with that of


    Nora and Theo.


    “You have my brown hair and your mother’s beautiful brown eyes” Theo added after Ethan. “Even


    without those physical attributes, I still now. Deep down I know you’re the daughter that was taken from


    us twenty eight years ago”


    I turn away from them when my tears start falling. It was too much to take. My whole life has


    been a fucking lie. I didn’t know how to handle that. Every scorn I got from the Sharp family, every


    hate, every pain they gave mees to the surface.


    They knew I wasn’t theirs. If they didn’t want me they could have given me away. What was the


    point of making me stay with them, only for them to hurt me over and over again?”


    “It’s okay my love” Nora uses the pet name I call Noah and it makes me cry harder. “Let it all out,


    all of it” she says as she hugs me.


    I didn’t even notice her standing up oring to me. Being in her arms just feels right. I feel at


    home, something I’ve never felt with mother. I feel her love wash over me and surround me as she


    embraces me.


    She doesn’t let go even when I soak her designer dress in tears. Soon a feel another set of arms


    surround us. Theo had joined us. I continue to cry until I feel like I’m out of tears, then I stop.


    “Better?” she asks.


    I give her a small smile as we slowly detangle from each other. “Yes”


    “You’re our daughter and we love you. We’ve always loved you and have never stopped loving you


    even when we thought you were gone. We will always be here for you if you need us, all we ask is


    that you give us a chance to take care and love you the way we never got to” Theo tells me, his


    eyes misting.


    This was all I ever wanted from the two people who raised me. It says a lot about them and my bio


    parents. Theo and Nora took a ten year old boy, raised him and loved him like he was their own.


    Kate and James Sharp took me in but treated me like I was nothing. The difference between the


    two couples is really ring.


    Before I have a chance to reply, my doorbell rings again.


    derin


    “Don’t worry, I got it” Letty says clearing her throat.


    I hear the door open then harsh whispers. It sounded like Letty was arguing with whoever was on the


    other side. I was just about to go and check when Travis walks in followed behind by Emma and


    Rowan


    I look at them in surprise. What were they doing here? And most importantly were they all attached to


    the hip or something? Gabe was the only one that wasn’t here.


    “I’m sorry, Ava… I tried to stop them but he pushed past me” she says remorsefully while ring


    at Travis


    “What are you all doing here and what do you want?” I honestly don’t think I can deal with them.


    “Mom wanted to talk to you, to talk to us. She said she wanted to tell you everything, but you’re not


    picking up her calls” Emma speaks.


    I heave a sigh of defeat. Thest thing I wanted to do was hear what she had to say, but I also


    knew that I had to.